HTC reigns supreme among UK Android fans

In some not so unexpected but still slightly surprising news, recent figures suggest that HTC accounts for just over half of all Android smartphones in use in the UK.

A recent Comscore study revealed that 50.9 per cent of the 6.3million UK Android phones belong to the Taiwanese manufacturer. In comparison, second place went to Samsung with 21.6 per cent, and Sony Ericsson rounding out the podium in third with 14.2 per cent.

I'll admit to first recognizing Android through HTC, in particular Sense, but to see the brand so far out front from Samsung especially with the mighty Galaxy S 2 doing the rounds still surprises a little. Maybe Sense UI really does make a difference.

Honestly, Sense is the best Manufacturer UI out there. Touch wiz is ok, but nothing more than an imitation. Moto blur is HORRENDOUS! Moto phones always shoot themselves in the foot. Great specs, crappy UI and locked bootloader for us tinkering types.

I have used nothing but Sense Roms on my Dinc since rooting it, and only recently strayed with MIUI as it was the only stable enough gingerbread Rom out there for my daily use. Now that the GB update is out, I envision going back to a Sense Rom once custom kernels for it are built.

Well that's what rooting is for! Honestly I'm no fan of Sense either, but the build quality of HTC devices is simply unrivaled by any other manufacturer. Tight tolerances, sleek bodies, rugged construction, ergonomically comfortable. When I pick up a moto or especially a Samsung it feels like a chintzy plastic piece of crap compared to HTC phones.

An HTC running a good AOSP ROM like Cyanogenmod or MIUI is the best solution out there right now.

htc have been making good android devices from the beginning where as samsung did not hit off till the galaxy line...my guess is with the likes of the s2 selling alot, when we see the next stats,samsung will be much closer to htc

Can't find any reference about that, but I would venture a guess and say the Hero and Desire (Samsung had very little UK presence then) probably make up most of the numbers, with the Hero on the downslope and newer models like the Sensation filling the gap.

Most people aren't Android geeks and actually keep their phones for 2 years :)

That's a really interesting question, and I'm going to keep digging for some real numbers.

HTC have a run good ad campaign that clearly differentiates themselves from the competition and has strong brand identity. Thankfully they don't fall the for the mistake of blabbing on about dual-cores and megapixels, but instead focus on cool features that even your mum might understand and think useful (such as flip to silence). They almost take an Apple-like approach to advertising but without the hyperbole and arrogance...

Sally Homemaker doesn't care about what's under the hood, only that it can do what they want and looks good doing it. And since that's where the huge majority of sales originate, HTC went direct to the people with the credit card in their purse.

Personally I prefer Samsung (prettier screens, more durable build and more hacking friendly), but I know a great deal of people who swear HTC is best, and I have to admit, Sense is aesthetically pleasing...

Agreed though that MotoBlur sucks. It amazed me how badly the DX2 lags even with it's impressive specs.

Don't get me wrong, Samsung make great phones but they are not famous about their build quality! They aren't more durable than HTCs! Compare the build quality of the Desire hd and Sensation ( aluminum unibody ) with the Galaxy S and S2( plastic ).

I've never seen a Samsung phone with build quality rivaling HTC's. From a sales perspective, I can say that I see 4 or 5 times the exchanges for defective hardware on Sammy's than HTC. And personally, my OG Evo is the only phone I've had survive a swim in beer and come back fully functioning.

No offense (opinion is opinion) but, HTC is far more durable than any other device offered under the Android umbrella, I have numorous friends wielding motorola and samsung and both break easily, their screens are crap and their overall body is plastic. HTC devices have a beautiful rubberlike backing and amazing gorilla glass screen. I have dropped my phone from many of heights and not even scratched the screen let alone cracked it. The one time I did shatter my screen it was due to it falling off my lap while getting out of my vehicle, note that I did not crack it in that manner rather I stepped on it and it shattered on the rock below that it was crushed on (due to me not knowing it fell off my lap). Bottomline, HTC has been making physically durable as well as quality firmware devices even back when they predominantly were making crappy windows mobile phones. This company has come a long way and earned their stripes. All I can say is RESPECT THAT PEOPLE. Look at the worldwide reviews on android products and you will still to this day see HTC as the dominant hardware for it. The people that like sense ui are miniscule when it comes to why people enjoy an HTC product. I've had 4 HTC phones and immediately rooted and installed AOSP roms, I hate sense but love HTC!!!!!!!!!

Here in the US there no question that HTC REINS SUPREME....Htc has done nothing but the best for two platforms both windows and android. And as for sense UI nothing is better that's plain and simple. Stock android at best is a JOKE and terribly BORING....

"Stock android at best is a JOKE and terribly BORING" I'd LOVE to hear you say that to the thousands of CM 6/7 users. You'd positively get the sh*t beat out of you. CHOICE reigns supreme. No joke, you ARE the joke.

Sorry, but I would have to agree (and have no problem telling CM 6/7 users either). To each their own, but don't go attacking people because of their opinion. Me personally, I can't see myself getting any android phone without HTC Sense UI on it. Vanilla Android (to me) IS boring. I don't care for launchers if all I'm gonna do is attempt to make it look like HTC Sense anyway. Save me the hassle and just go buy myself an HTC with Sense UI.

I will admit that he was wrong for calling Vanilla Android a joke. Most people prefer that because it's lighter than Sense UI and runs so much smoother (I've yet to see a Vanilla Android phone with lag). Some people even feel that because it's Vanilla Android that it automatically means (theoretically speaking) that it should be faster to update to the latest android software. Outside of nexus phones (and rooted users), that have still been proven not to be the case.

HTC is number in the UK for a reason. Their products are solid, The Sense UI (IMHO) is the best there is out there, The community and developers support is awesome, and their pretty good with keeping their products up to date with the latest android software. They've steadily been improving their products (i.e.-audio and camera lens technology getting better), and I see nothing but good things to come from them. The only thing I do request from them is to continue to make improvements along the way (i.e.- screen technology (for me anyway) and processor suppliers (for others). At the least, pull a samsung and release low to mid end phones with qualcomm processors, and release high end to premium phones with something better).

Never PAY to much attention to WHATEVER THIS BOZO comments on at best he has been and always will be an TOTAL IDIOT on all these forums...Ask him what he's walking around with and we all will get a BIG LAUGH....The time has come that he affords a better device and stop trying to make something inferior top of the line. At best Mr. squiddy20 is just another misguided soul in the land of android..PISS ON HIM...

Kudos to HTC. If I were a betting man, I would say their users love them so much because they're probably the only Android manufacturer that gives a damn about their customers. I love how they publicly address customer concerns and actually ACT upon them within a timely fashion. They provide nothing short of outstanding support for their products and deserve every bit of success the have.

And I say this as someone that doesn't even (currently, but may soon) own a HTC phone. Samsung, LG, and especially Samsung should take note.

Sidenote: In the age of rooting and 3rd party launchers we can't seriously still be arguing over who's interface is the best (or worst).

I love Sense UI. Using my Droid Incredible is sooooo much better than using my wife's Droid 2 with Motoblur, and it is even better than the TouchWiz Droid Charge they gave me for a few days at work.

The puzzle-piece-fitting unlock on the Charge was fun for a while, but the unlock bar swiping downward on the Incredible is so much easier for me to do single-handed, and I like the weather/clock, favorite contacts, and bookmarks widgets too.

I would skip a vanilla Android device and would rather have a Sense device (based on my dealings with stock Android in the emulator for the SDK). So, the "news" is not news to me. People who hate Sense usually haven't used it much (or at all).

Sense is the best! I have had HTC phones ever sense the Hero. I had the EVO 3D upgraded to Photon. Hated it so much. I went back to my 3D. If it ain't HTC I don't want it. I haven't had any problems with any of my EVO's and I have had all 3.

Sense is the best Android skin. Nothing can touch it. I hated Android's UI till I saw the HTC Hero, didn't like the device, but kept my eyes open till something better came, and along came the Evo 4G, upgrade to the 3D. Couldn't be happier. Sense is the complete package.

SE would kill to have 14% Android share in the US. I love HTC's Sense Clock & Weather widget. MotoBlur is slowly getting better,all you have to do is compare Blur from the Cliq and the Bionic to see the evolution.

"...to see the brand so far out front from Samsung especially with the mighty Galaxy S 2 doing the rounds still surprises a little."

Doesn't surprise me. I have 3 Epic3G's that haven't had working 4G service since day 2, despite being saturated in coverage at home and 40 miles away at work. In addition of course, we've still yet to see the Gingerbread update (whether or not it will fix the 4G problem who knows)

What people are forgetting is the majority of the market buy mid-tier phones and operate them out of the box. This works in HTC's favour due to their range of handsets. Once people buy an HTC phone and experience the mollycoddling that is Sense they will generally do likewise again when they upgrade/replace.

When I made the leap from Blackberry to Android I did so with a desire, now I have made a natural progression to a Sensation. It was to be an Evo 3D but Vodafone dropped it so bagged a Sensation on a terrific deal. I have never been a fan of Samsung products at all, not just mobile. Sony, Pioneer and Panasonic would be my first choice before I would even consider Samsung. Same with mobile IMO, they are good but not the best. You could make a Hyundai faster than an Audi, doesn't mean I wouldn't have the Audi if the choice arose. I would not be foolish enough to be loyal to one brand, but it was the Sensation or SGS2 and I didn't want a galaxy so HTC won again.

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